Wedded to Love

Love Never Fails. 1 Corinthians Chapter 13, Verse 8. Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

Wedded to Love was written by Patricia Rabon and read by Joyce Dinkins. 1 Corinthians Chapter 13, Verses 4-13 Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy. It does not boast. It is not proud. It does not dishonor others. It is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered.

It keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But, where there are prophecies, they will cease. Where there are tongues, they will be stilled. Where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

For we know in part, and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child. I thought like a child. I reasoned like a child.

When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now, we see only a reflection as in a mirror. Then, we shall see face to face. Now, I know in part.

Then, I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain, faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love. Wedded to Love, written by Patricia Rabin At Meredith's wedding, her mother read a beautiful scripture from 1 Corinthians.

Often called the love chapter of the Bible, the 13th chapter sounded perfect for the occasion. Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy. It does not boast.

It is not proud. Listening, I wondered if modern brides and grooms knew what prompted the apostle's stirring words. Paul wasn't writing a love poem. The apostle penned a plea to a divided church in an effort to heal its raging divisions. Simply put, the church at Corinth was a mess, says scholar Douglas A. Campbell. Seething problems included incest, prostitution, and rivalry among leaders. Lawsuits between members weren't uncommon. Worship was often chaotic, with those speaking in tongues competing to be heard first and others prophesying to look impressive.

Underlying this chaos, says Campbell, was a basic failure in relating to one another in love. To show the more excellent way, Paul preached love because love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease. Where there are tongues, they will be stilled.

Where there is knowledge, it will pass away. Paul's loving reminders can certainly encourage a wedding party. May they also inspire all of us to live out love and kindness too. Let's pray. Lord, our hearts weigh heavy under the burden of the divided times we live in. Please teach us to love with patience, kindness, and humility, just as you have called us to. Help us to foster unity and peace in our relationships, reflecting the love that never fails. Thank you, Lord. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. As you go about your day, reflect on these questions. How do you show kindness and love in your relationships? How do you show love in the body of Christ?